But have to whittle it down to 2.
My home zoo is Chester so we get our fill of lions, tigers, elephants, giraffes and rhinos there and would prefer to go to atleast 1 collection with a contrast to Chester.
We visited Bristol last year and really enjoyed it, we also receive free entry to Bristol with our Chester memberships, so this makes it an early leader.

Take the family to Bristol, get there at 9am stay four or five hours then drive to Crbbs Causeway, drop the family off to go shopping, bowling or cinema while you pop across the roundabout and have a couple of hours at Wildplace. You can argue that as one zoo trip then visit Exmoor later in the holiday.

It depends where in Somerset you are staying, but as you've been to Bristol recently, Paignton may be a possibility if you are reasonably near the m5 and I assume your Chester pass will get you in free.

Take the family to Bristol, get there at 9am stay four or five hours then drive to Crbbs Causeway, drop the family off to go shopping, bowling or cinema while you pop across the roundabout and have a couple of hours at Wildplace. You can argue that as one zoo trip then visit Exmoor later in the holiday.

Click to expand...

Good plan! That 9 am arrival at Bristol is important - go directly to the nocturnal house and see the quolls and kowaris (and perhaps the aye-ayes too) before the lights go out It's worth staying for the gorilla talk at 12.30 if the weather is good, so you can see them all on the island.

Slightly rude remark above about Combe Martin, it would be nice to know the reason for this. Anyone in the south west, in my humble opinion, could do worse than visit Paignton (mainstream large zoo with excellent collection, breeding record and conservation involvement), Shaldon (quality species like
Margay and Red Titi) in a little gem of a zoo on a tiny site, Dartmoor (big herd of Lechwe and the only Jaguar for miles around) and of course Newquay (fine bird and herp collections, breeding stock of Owston's Civets and Black Wildebeest). Living Coasts is worth a look as a unique marine coastal collection under the same conservation trust as Paignton and Newquay.

When you go in the Gorilla house( as I'm sure you will.. ) could you see if the young male Komale is still seperated in the righthand(newer) section of the House? Or if there is any mention anywhere of plans for him.

When you go in the Gorilla house( as I'm sure you will.. ) could you see if the young male Komale is still seperated in the righthand(newer) section of the House? Or if there is any mention anywhere of plans for him.

When the new young female Touni arrived last autumn, he vied for her attentions with his father 'Jock' so creating a falling out and he was seperated from the group. But he is believed to also be the father of the latest baby born by C section. I am not sure what they plan to do with him now- reintegrate him into the group or send him away.